Zanu-PF 'militia' disrupts prayers

A SUSPECTED Zanu-PF militia yesterday allegedly disrupted a prayer meeting organised by Zimbabwe Prayer Network (ZPN), which is seeking divine intervention in the face of the serious economic crisis facing the country.

ZPN spokesperson Assan Mtembo said a group of suspected Zanu-PF youths clad in party regalia invaded their venue - Zimbabwe Grounds in Harare - and caused mayhem, disrupting the meeting before police threw tear gas to disperse the crowd.

"It's very unfortunate what we saw today [yesterday]," Mtembo said.

"They came pretending as if they wanted to play soccer and started to dismantle the tent we had pitched and the podium set.

"They destroyed the public address system that was set as well as disconnected all power systems and this degenerated into chaos, forcing the police to throw tear gas."

ZPN, which believes in prayer as a solution to Zimbabwe's socio-political and economic crisis, had organised the prayer meeting to seek divine intervention as the country goes through a purple patch.

Mtembo said prominent singer, Mechanic Manyeruke - who was set to entertain the crowd along with rising gospel musician, Mathias Mhere - were tear-gassed by the police, forcing them to run for cover.

"They had come to support the initiative, but had to run for cover after police indiscriminately threw the tear gas," he said.

"We had to regroup later on and ZPN patron Jacob Ngarivhume had to address a few people who had managed to return later."

PNZ was formed in 2010 as an interdenominational group and has a membership of more than 12 000 and over 100 networks countrywide.

Zanu-PF Harare province youth league chair, Edson Takataka said he was unaware of the alleged disruption by his members of any meeting.

"I don't know what you are talking about and I don't think it ever happened," Takataka said.

Zanu-PF youths also disrupted Parliament's public hearings into proposed electoral reforms at various centres across the country last week.